From The Blog

Senator Susan Collins ought to look in the mirror

April 09, 2007

Hold on, Senator Collins - those who live in glass houses shouldn't cast stones about ‘distortion' on Iraq record

In a minute and half long YouTube ‘response' to new AUFC TV ad ‘Deserve,' Susan Collins points many fingers, but oddly ignores core issue: her vote against binding legislation to bring an end to the war in Iraq

Washington D.C. - Today, Americans United for Change fired back at the YouTube ad entitled ‘Truth' paid for by U.S. Senator Susan Collins' campaign in response to the $100,000 TV ad campaign launched statewide in Maine last week by Americans United for Change calling on the Senator to vote to bring an end to the war in Iraq.

"It's amazing - in a full minute and a half long YouTube response to Americans United for Change's new TV ad campaign, complete with charges of ‘distortion' of her record, Senator Susan Collins somehow manages to ignore the core issue of the ad: her vote on March 29th, 2007 against safely bringing an end to the war in Iraq," said Jeremy Funk, spokesman for Americans United for Change. "That vote was the most historic and significant vote on Iraq since the vote to authorize the war -- and when it mattered most, Senator Collins stood with President Bush and Vice-President Cheney over the clear will of the vast majority of people in Maine and throughout the country."

"At the end of the day, Senator Collins voted against meaningful and binding legislation to change course in Iraq, to hold the Iraqi government accountable and to set a date certain for bringing our men and women safely home from this bloody civil war that has no end in sight. Obviously, Senator Collins has no excuse for that pivotal ‘nay' vote, and so she kills the messenger with a dubiously titled smear ad called ‘Truth.' Perhaps the Senator should look herself in the mirror before accusing others of distorting her long record of supporting the failed Bush-Cheney policy in Iraq."

‘Deserve' comes on the heels of a similar ad Americans United for Change launched in Kentucky last month, calling on Senate Minority Leader and Obstructionist-in-Chief Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to stop blocking change in Iraq. Last week, Americans United launched a similar ad in New Hampshire calling on Senator John Sununu (R-NH) to vote to wind down the war in Iraq.